Our generation is not willing to wait for change. Perceptions of gender are changing quickly: is your school ready?
1. Do a handbook audit, amending any gender-exclusive language
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Include a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion pledge in your handbook/syllabi that are required to be signed annually by staff and students, and the administration
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Pledge to follow best practices for inclusive teaching (see checklist)
2. Create an anonymous feedback protocol
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All students should know how to report concerns
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Encourage dissent and discussion
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Publish the reporting protocols in the school handbook and make them visible on the website and in the studio
3. Teacher Evaluations
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In addition to anonymous feedback, collect course evaluations from students bi-yearly or yearly to ensure classroom concerns are being addressed and teachers are held accountable using oversight provisions
4. Hiring Practices
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Make inclusion a constant priority: diverse student bodies want to see themselves reflected in their educators
5. Resource Accessibility
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Ensure students are aware of outside resources available to them
6. Costuming
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Inclusive costuming requires accounting for race, religion, size, and gender expression
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For example, provide a wide variety of skin tone options and sizes in tights and undergarments
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Ask students if they are comfortable in there costuming
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7. Consent Training
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Provide consent training to students and faculty
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8. Disability Accommodations
When you design for accessibility, it often helps the experience for everybody
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Ask yourself if you consider disability status?
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There are many types of disabilities: Chronic, physical, mental, invisible, or temporary illnesses
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How do you handle student reporting or disclosure of disabilities?
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